LA Auto Club: Gas Prices Continue Free-Fall
LOS ANGELES--Dec. 20, 2005--The average price of a gallon of gasoline in Southern California fell nearly 35 cents in the past month as reduced demand, hefty inventories and increased production added downward pressure on oil prices, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's monthly Fuel Gauge Report.The Southern California December average price for regular self-serve gasoline is $2.289, which compares to a Nov. 15, 2005 average of $2.637 - a decrease of 34.8 cents.
"Oil has gone from $70 per barrel in the early fall to around $60 today," said Auto Club spokesperson Carol Thorp. "Christmas travelers in California can expect prices to continue downward through the New Year, but should expect to see them bottom out soon thereafter. Prices typically stabilize and begin to rise in early spring due to refinery maintenance and the annual switch to summer-blend fuel."
Statewide, the average price for December is $2.250 down 33.1 cents from $2.581 in November. The all-time record high of $3.054 was set on Sept. 9. The lowest average price in Southern California is in La Habra, where regular is selling for $2.114. Blythe reports the region's highest average price at $2.575.
Nationally, the average price is $2.210, down from $2.292 in November. The state with the lowest gas price average is Utah at $2.011. The nation's highest average price is in Hawaii, where regular gasoline is selling for an average of $2.660.
In Southern California, the averages for regular and premium grades of gasoline are listed below:
County Reg 12-20 Reg 11-15 Pre 12-20 Pre 11-15 Imperial County El Centro 2.326 2.706 2.464 2.879 Inyo County Bishop 2.479 2.712 2.679 3.024 Kern County Bakersfield 2.247 2.501 2.457 2.742 Ridgecrest 2.459 2.679 2.661 2.905 Los Angeles County Alhambra 2.201 2.568 2.369 2.679 Arcadia 2.265 2.640 2.339 2.899 Burbank 2.248 2.641 2.342 2.796 Culver City 2.342 2.768 2.249 3.106 Glendale 2.241 2.599 2.426 2.819 Glendora 2.219 2.520 2.469 2.759 Inglewood 2.215 2.586 2.419 2.792 Lancaster 2.244 2.593 2.259 2.616 Long Beach 2.220 2.602 2.371 2.769 Los Angeles 2.276 2.638 2.444 2.783 Manhattan Beach 2.262 2.688 2.339 2.739 Montebello 2.218 2.562 2.159 2.845 Santa Clarita 2.223 2.617 2.469 2.799 Santa Monica 2.327 2.679 2.569 2.964 Van Nuys 2.223 2.629 2.366 2.704 Whittier 2.213 2.583 2.219 2.556 Woodland Hills 2.294 2.677 2.474 2.882 Orange County Anaheim 2.182 2.527 2.250 2.558 Fullerton 2.125 2.497 2.209 2.645 Huntington Beach 2.136 2.482 2.330 2.695 La Habra 2.114 2.463 2.319 2.639 Laguna Beach 2.350 2.729 2.599 3.039 Newport Beach 2.276 2.676 2.479 2.899 San Clemente 2.344 2.681 2.514 2.879 Tustin 2.276 2.601 2.439 2.819 Riverside County Blythe 2.575 2.877 2.599 2.932 Hemet 2.284 2.664 2.364 2.722 Palm Springs 2.399 2.739 2.646 2.939 Riverside 2.238 2.569 2.407 2.719 San Bernardino County Redlands 2.172 2.584 2.399 2.832 San Bernardino 2.265 2.662 2.239 2.579 Victorville 2.269 2.575 2.203 2.577 San Diego County Chula Vista 2.271 2.575 2.628 2.919 Del Mar 2.322 2.709 2.469 3.019 Escondido 2.247 2.576 2.472 2.835 Oceanside 2.336 2.671 2.554 2.976 San Diego 2.301 2.684 2.614 2.894 San Luis Obispo County San Luis Obispo 2.398 2.731 2.631 3.092 Santa Barbara County Lompoc 2.411 2.838 2.684 3.075 Santa Barbara 2.414 2.718 2.486 2.599 Santa Maria 2.422 2.722 2.399 2.619 Tulare County Porterville 2.399 2.634 2.489 2.754 Visalia 2.329 2.599 2.552 2.889 Ventura County Ventura 2.276 2.604 2.313 2.700 So. Cal. Avg. 2.289 2.637 2.434 2.810
The Auto Club's Fuel Gauge Report is based on data gathered from monitoring fuel transactions at 2,800 Southern California gas stations. Oil Price Information Service -- the nation's most comprehensive source of petroleum pricing information, provides the data. Editors, for regional average daily fuel prices nationwide, please go to www.fuelgaugereport.com.
